Essential C# 4.0 (Microsoft .Net Development) [Paperback]

Praise for Essential C# 4.0

“If you want to be a C# developer, or if you want to enhance your C# programming skills, there is no more useful tool than a well-crafted book on the subject. You are holding such a book in your hands.”

—From the Foreword by Charlie Calvert, Community Program Manager, Visual C#, Microsoft

“It’s essential!”

—Eric Lippert, Senior Engineer, Microsoft; coauthor, Visual Studio Tools for Office 2007

“Essential C# 4.0 continues the tradition of prior editions—the definitive work on C# the language and how to effectively code using it. This book covers all aspects of the language, from the basics to highly advanced topics; the reader doesn’t just emerge understanding the language of C#, but emerges as a better developer.

—Troy Magennis, C# MVP and creator of HookedOnLINQ.com

“I’ve been involved with C# since its earliest days and remember vividly a conversation with Anders Hejlsberg in which we discussed what C# didn’t have when compared to C++ at the time. He spoke of simplicity and compact design but it was plain that C# didn’t have the muscle to compete with C++ in those early days. Here we are, almost a decade later, with the latest incarnation of C# ready to go and the difference is huge. The elegance of C# is still there but the power of the language has advanced by leaps and bounds. Now, C# is second to none and may be first among equals. An important aspect to remember is that C# is the language but it is the .NET framework that empowers our expression as developers. Essential C# 4.0 presents both the language and the important aspects of that framework in a clear and concise manner that makes this book a great tool for learning the language and also covers aspects of general programming that are, well, essential.”

“Essential C# 4.0 is a book that anyone who wants to be an expert C# programmer should own. It’s a rare book that is on both my short list of books that I recommend for experts and my short list of books that I recommend for programmers new to C#.”

—Peter Ritchie, President, Peter Ritchie Inc. Software Consulting; Microsoft C# MVP

“Let Mark Michaelis serve as your guide from novice to expert C# developer. If you’ve never used C#, read this book carefully for a complete guided tour of the language. If you’re already familiar with C#, you’ll still find plenty to learn. Mark’s coverage of the language is very complete, including the latest techniques in the C# 4.0 additions. This book is and will remain within easy reach. It’s a ready reference that every C# developer should have handy.”

—Bill Wagner, Founder, SRT Solutions; Microsoft Regional Director; author of Effective C# and More Effective C#

Essential C# 4.0 is a well-organized,“no-fluff” guide to all versions of C# for programmers at all levels of C# experience. This fully updated edition shows how to make the most of C# 4.0’s new features and programming patterns to write code that is simple, yet powerful.

This edition contains two new chapters on parallel programming, multi­threading, and concurrency, as well as extensive coverage of new C# 4.0 features: dynamic typing, variance, optional/named parameters, and many other new topics.

Mark Michaelis covers the C# language in depth, illustrating key constructs with succinct, downloadable code examples. Graphical “mind maps” at the beginning of each chapter show what material is covered and how individual topics interrelate. Topics intended for beginners and advanced readers are clearly marked, and the book includes indexes of C# versions (2.0, 3.0, and 4.0), which make it easy for readers to reference topics specific to a given release of C#.

Following an introduction to C#, readers learn about 

• Best practices for object-oriented programming in C#
• C# primitive data types, value and reference types, implicitly typed variables, anonymous types, plus dynamic typing in C# 4.0
• Methods and parameters–including extension methods, partial meth­ods, and C# 4.0’s optional and named parameters
• Generics, concurrent collections, and custom collections with iterators
• Delegates, events, and lambda expressions
• Collection interfaces and standard query operators
• Query expressions and the tree expressions on which LINQ providers are based
• Reflection, attributes, and dynamic programming
• Parallel Query Processing with PLINQ
• Multithreaded programming with the Task Parallel Library
• Platform interoperability and unsafe code
• The Common Language Infrastructure that underlies C# 

Whether you’re just starting out, are an experienced developer moving to C#, or are a seasoned C# programmer seeking to master C# 4.0’s most valuable enhancements, Essential C# 4.0 will help you write high-quality, highly effective code.